Author's Note: Reviews are appreciated and make my fingers type faster.

Part 4

Age: 12 Years 6 Months

Jack and Samantha sat in the rec room watching television with the other residents of the orphanage at the insistence of the staff who occasionally would attempt to integrate the pair socially with the other residents. The pair were bored by the supposedly entertaining show the other residents were enraptured by. Jack was seated on a cushion at the back of the living room and Samantha was on a couch with a bunch of girls. A few minutes into the show, Samantha had excused herself to the bathroom. When she returned, she quietly slipped in the back of the room and joined Jack.

Sitting on a cushion beside him in the darkened room, Samantha slipped her hand in his. Their fingers caressed and they communicated silently as they endured the flashing television. Since their first kiss, the pair had enjoyed many more kisses. Afternoons were spent dancing and kissing, sometimes they would read instead, but snuggled closely together as they did so. In the beginning they only kissed standing up, but one day while lying on the floor reading, they kissed and found the full body contact felt very nice.

Although they both knew the logistics of sex, the young couple hadn't given the matter any real consideration. Jack nearly died of embarrassment when Samantha found the Kama Sutra among the books in the attic and asked if he'd read it. Blushing furiously he told her yes, but tried to dissuade her from reading it. Jack's reluctance to let her read the book only incited her curiosity and Samantha borrowed the taboo volume. The next day she could barely look at Jack, embarrassed that he knew what she'd been reading. At the same time she felt slightly comforted after having read the book because the things she felt when she kissed Jack made a bit more sense now. Although their mutual embarrassment had created a couple days of awkwardness, once it abated their was a new closeness between them.

As they sat through forced television time, Samantha leaned over and whispered in Jack's ear, "How much longer before they let us go?"

"Ten more minutes," Jack breathed softly into her hair.

Samantha looked around to make certain no one was looking and licked Jack's ear as she whispered, "I can't wait until I can kiss you."

In the semi-darkness, Jack blushed with pleasure and kissed Sam's hand. As the couple finished out their mandatory time in the rec room, they were unaware they were being watched by Billy Watson. Since Samantha had arrived at the orphanage, Billy had been fascinated with her, but couldn't understand why she didn't seem interested in him. Seeing her holding the frail boy's hand and watching their interaction, he knew that Prince Albert was the problem. What the hell was with Sam calling him Jack anyway? Something was going on between the bookish pair and Billy intended to put an end to it.

When the show was over, the minute the credits started, Jack and Samantha broke contact and raced from the room. Time spent in the rec room or the classroom was time that took them away from their attic and the special world that belonged to them alone. The couple anxiously made their way to Jack's room and went up to the attic. As soon as they were upstairs, their lips met and they kissed. For several moments they kissed before breaking apart and selecting a record.

Jack continued to teach Samantha all the dances he'd learned in ballroom dance class. Once she'd mastered the waltz, Jack began teaching her the tango, which made them both turn slightly red from the close contact. Tonight they were practicing the tango again and Jack was struggling to keep from getting hard as Samantha brushed against him. As the sounds of the Jealousy Tango filled the room, the young couple moved together with ease. Samantha flushed with embarrassment as she felt Jack brush against her, she knew enough to understand he was aroused and the thought made her feel very warm. Recently she'd been dreaming of Jack touching her and would wake up with a strange aching feeling like she needed something that he alone could give her.

Suddenly, Samantha stopped dancing and stared into Jack's eyes. Flooded by the images from her dreams, she felt the deliciously painful aching sensation she'd felt when she woke up from her dreams. Quivering slightly, she whimpered, "Jack."

The throaty sound, unleashed something primal within Jack and he kissed Samantha with greater abandon than he ever had before. As their tongues dueled they both became breathless and clung to one another. Slowly they sank to the floor, never breaking contact between their mouths. Uncertainly, Samantha guided Jack's hand to her breast and allowed him to caress her through her blouse. When his caresses made Samantha start moaning, Jack pulled back slightly in concern.

"What's wrong?" he asked worriedly.

"Nothing," Samantha replied and tried to pull his mouth back to hers.

"You sounded like you were in pain."

"N-no, it felt very nice," Samantha stammered and ducked her head in embarrassment. When Jack didn't move to touch her again, she inquired, "Did I do something wrong?"

"Samantha, I care a lot about you," Jack told her. Hesitantly, he admitted, "I love you."

"Really?"

"More than anything and someday when we're old enough I want to make you my wife. But until that day I can't- we shouldn't-" Jack trailed off.

"Do more than kiss?"

Jack nodded and reassured her, "It's not that I don't want to. It's just that I love you too much to, you know, without marrying you first."

Samantha pushed a honey colored lock away from Jack's face and kissed him tenderly, "I love you, Jack. Do you really think we'll get married when we're older? People don't usually find the love of their life at our age."

Smiling, Jack responded, "Samantha, we aren't people. You are a Goddess and I promise you right now, that I will love you beyond death itself. If you ever forget about me, I'll come back to you and remind you until you love me again."

"I could never forget you Jack."

"You're going to have to get back for bedcheck soon," Jack sighed. "Are you going to sneak out later?"

"What do you think?" Samantha teased and pressed a kiss against his mouth.

"I think I want to grow up a great deal faster," Jack muttered.

Laughing, Samantha replied, "Well tomorrow I turn 12 so I'm getting older."

"Quite true," Jack agreed and smiled as he thought of the surprises he had in store for her.

Samantha left and after bedcheck headed back towards Jack's room, when Billy stopped her.

"Going somewhere?" he demanded, standing in Samantha's way.

"Leave me alone," Samantha hissed in annoyance.

"Off to Prince Albert the Prick's room?"

"His name is Jack."

"Oo that's right, Samantha," Billy drew her name out. "What wrong with you Sam? You spend all your time reading and in that prick's room?"

Samantha tried to push past him and Billy pushed her to the wall. Pressing a sloppy kiss to her turned face, he informed her, "You need a man, Sam. Not some bookworm pussy boy like Albert."

Struggling against Billy, Sam growled, "His name is Jack and if you don't let me go I'll start screaming."

"Go ahead, then explain what you're doing up on Prince Albert's floor," he taunted.

Billy pressed another kiss to Sam's mouth and tried to squeeze her breasts through her nightgown. The gentle caresses of Jack's that had been so arousing earlier were frightening and grotesque in their harsh parody by Billy. Fear was spreading throughout Samantha and she was ready to scream when Billy was pried off her suddenly. Jack launched himself at the surprised Billy with a growl and forced him to the floor. After a harsh kick to Billy's groin, Jack started slamming his head hard against the wooden floor.

The noise attracted the staff who readily believed Jack's lie that Billy had drug Samantha up to the partially empty floor. Samantha was visibly upset and told them truthfully about Billy Watson attempting to force himself on her. When the staff insisted she stop clinging to Jack and let them put her to bed she was upset, but Jack assured her she would be safe and they would talk tomorrow. As Billy was lead away, Jack began to plan. There were several people who had hurt his Samantha that he planned to kill someday and Billy was now on the list.

After a thorough scolding by the staff, Billy was left in his room and warned to stay away from Sam and Albert. But Billy was furious, how dare that worm attack him and try to interfere when he was chatting up a girl. Prince Albert simply didn't understand the way things worked and he had no right to aspire to a girl like Sam. He would see to it that Albert Jackson Newquay learned to stay away from the girl Billy wanted. Leaving his room with resolve he headed up to Jack's room.

The next morning, Samantha dressed rapidly, she wanted to see Jack alone before they went down to breakfast. Partially because it was her birthday and partially because she was still shaken from last night. When she knocked on Jack's door there was no answer. After several knocks, she opened the door and walked in. There was no sign of him anywhere in the room. Racing to the attic, Samantha checked for Jack there. Jack was nowhere to be seen and his be looked unslept in. Fear began to seize Samantha as she ran from the room...